I'm playing AF44 as Axis against Elmer in TOAW 3.4, and am wondering whether others get some use out of the Luftwaffe when it arrives around T15.

I've now watched Elmer annihilate them with airbase attacks in a couple of turns every game. I've tried putting everything (even FBs) on Air Superiority but that didn't seem to help much. Has anyone found a use for the LW in this scenario, or is it just a case of taking your medicine and dealing with it?

Yes, historically the Allies had air superiority (weather permitting), but losing half my aircraft during a "night" turn to air field raids just seems wrong.

We played the heck out of this one back in the day and I don't recall Elmer making airfield attacks at all. Usually with an AAA unit in the hex, Elmer won't attack it.

We were mostly done with this one by the time 3.4 came out, so I can only recall playing as the Allies a couple times under 3.4 to test some PO changes to the Germans. Maybe its time to schedule some German play with 3.4. Thanks for the intel Murphstein.

Another thing to tweak is the aircraft range. If the problem is the B-17 and B-24, you could reduce the range so that they are one hex short of hitting the German airfields from England. As for the airfields along the top of the map, well, I guess they just take their lumps.

Actually, you may want to reduce all the aircraft to make sure their range is one hex less. It looks to me like the short distance from Allied airfields to Germany is 82 hexes, 205 km; so how about changing the range to 200 km ? I'd make a back-up copy of the eqp file first. Then I'd use Parmenio's epq editor (I know, real he-men use XML and pour it back into the eqp.)

And this is something that can be done with event loops for air shock or done as stand-alone.

Elmer does love going after those airfields, doesn't he ? (I haven't played AF - but I've found that in 3.4, that when Elmer has an air force, it's hammer time.)

@Telumar - Nightly airfield attacks in Dec. 1944 ? I do not think there were any, given the weather. And even in Jan 1945, I think they were limited to the usual 100 Group, Bomber Support units dealing with NJG bases. After Jan 1 1945, I suspect there were heavy attacks by 8th AF, but during the day.

Ok, I ran it thru the first three night turns after the planes arrive and Elmer made no attacks on the German airbases. He did make day attacks. Thats not to say that he might not ever make attacks at night, because Murph says that he does.

The Luftwaffe should only have a minimal presence anyway. So at this point I'm not inclined to make any changes. Yes, 'a case of taking your medicine and dealing with it'.

Yes, Elmer's aggressiveness varies game to game (I've restarted AF several times from Turn 14 and seen very different behaviors, maybe weather-releated, maybe Elmer's strategic objectives?).

Yes, Elmer's early and heavy attacks on airfields WERE mostly daylight raids; I seem to have forgotten which turns are "day" and which "night"; Turns 17 and 19 are where most of the damage happens. I count 13 distinct multi-unit raids on LW airfields in turn 17 and 8 in turn 19.